Posted by Wilf @ 8:57 pm on 15/03/12
Out with John and a Falkirk Team of Gayle, Alasdair, Tom and Archie today in Coire an t-Sneachda. We climbed Fingers Ridge in big boots, on dry rock a with frequent blue skies and largely without needing gloves; I kept having to check the date on my watch.
Gayle on Fingers Ridge
I’ve added a couple of photos of Fiacaill Buttress and Coire Domhain below to give an idea of the current conditions.
Fiacaill Buttress
Coire Domhain - remains of snow holing sites centre left
Posted by Euan @ 9:54 pm on 13/03/12
Glenn leading Donkeys Ears.
I have been in the Lake District staff training today with the EICA Ratho staff team. We had a great day out at Shepherds Crag. The crag was mainly dry, the air temperature was warm and there was no wind.
Posted by Euan @ 10:14 pm on 11/03/12
Ian scrambling on Meall Ceann na Creige.
Morag on the Beinn Alligin horseshoe.
Sea level traversing near Diabaig.
For the past few days I have been in Torridon with the Falkirk High Tops Team. On friday we had a nice day out on Beinn Alligin going from east to west begining with the Horns. I think this is the most pleasant way to do this route.
Yesterday, we climbed the Northern Pinnacles of Liathach. We approached via Coire Na Caime. I would not recommend this approach. The slope to gain the Pinnacles is serious. The Pinnacles also require care.
Today, we had a great day out at Diabaig. We did the Grade 3 scramble on Meall Ceann na Creige. To gain the base of the scramble we took a sea level traversing option which gave some lovely scrambling and a short section of severe rock climbing.
Posted by Euan @ 6:22 pm on 2/03/12
It was a beautiful morning today in Glencoe. The photo above was taken from a peak near the Devils Staircase. Directly above my head is the Lost Valley and to it’s right, Stob Coire Nan Lochain.
For those wishing to climb steep grade 1 snowslopes and grade 1 gully routes some good options still exist.
Posted by Euan @ 5:06 pm on 1/03/12
Loch Etchachan with Beinn Meadhoin behind.
Loch Avon Basin. The Shelter Stone is on the left, Hells Lum in the middle of the photo and Diagonal Gully on the right of the photo.
The Shelter Stone bivouac with Hells Lum behind.
For the past two days I have been in the Cairngorms. We ascended Ben Macdui before staying in the Shelter Stone Bivouac and climbing Cairn Gorm this morning.
There are still some large patches of snow around. From a distance it appears that some of the easy gully lines in venues such as Coire Bhrochain and An Garbh Choire are complete. However, some routes have laarge cornices above them so careful route selection will be needed. Diagonal Gully on Stag Rocks was on complete.
Posted by Euan @ 5:11 pm on 28/02/12
The thaw in the Highlands continued today with continual rain on Ben Nevis. Teams were out on Ledge Route and Number 4 Gully. The summit was very quiet!
Large cornices still exist in some locations. For example, above Number 5 Gully.
Posted by Euan @ 5:30 pm on 27/02/12
Today I have been out scrambling and teaching navigation on Beinn a’Chrulaiste. This little mountain has a nice grade 1 scramble on it called Pink Rib and some good terrain for practicing navigation.
There is still currently enough snow in the White Corries area for practising winter skills and the larger gully’s such as Broad Gully appear to be holding on despite the continued thaw.
Posted by Wilf @ 7:38 pm on 25/02/12
Out with Adventure Edinburgh in Glenshee today. We used snow patches and ribbons to practice boot and axe work, self belay and ice axe arrest. We then headed up to the summit of The Cairnwell and around to Carn Aosda. There are patches of old firm snow and snow in gully lines from around 750m and larger areas of snow on north and east facing coire rims in this area. Care is required in gully lines where streams are running underneath the decreasing snowpack.
Carn a'Gheoidh from The Cairnwell
Infrequent light rain showers on fresh westerly winds during the day with the freezing level above the summits. A report from Craig, who was out in the Ben Lawers area today, suggests the rain was significantly worse further west with the snowpack there becoming very wet and reducing significantly.
Posted by Euan @ 9:31 pm on 24/02/12
Practising ice axe arrest in Glencoe.
I was back in Glencoe today. The weather was much better than it has been over the last few days. We walked up to the White Corries to consolidate some winter skills and look at emergency shelters. The snow has now refrozen.
From a distance, it appears that big gully lines such as Broad Gully in Stob Coire Nan Lochain and Central Gully on Beinn an Dothaidh appear to be complete.
Posted by Euan @ 6:48 pm on 23/02/12
Traversing towards the summit of The Sow of Atholl
Over the past three days I have been moving around Scotland to avoid the worst of the rain and to look at skills such as ice axe and crampon use, transceiver searches and emergency winter shelters.
On tuesday we headed to Meall Nan Tarmachan and for the past two days we have been in the Drummochter Pass. The thaw has been extensive but large patches still exist for practicing skills.
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